HAY AND GREEN FEED 55 



prevent molding when stored. In dry, sunny weather 

 little difficulty is experienced in producing good hay; but, 

 in humid climates, hay-making is a process requiring much 

 care. Rain and dew delay the drying and reduce the 

 quality of the hay, or they may render the product entirely 

 worthless. It is readily seen that weather conditions 

 become an important factor in hay-making. Putting hay 

 in cocks and covering with some kind of impervious shield 

 is an attempt to prevent the absorption of water. 



69. In arid regions the hay may be cut and stacked 

 the same day, but in humid regions the curing may extend 

 over several days with the corresponding risk from rain. 

 Succulent plants, such as clover, alfalfa and cowpea, 

 demand especial care because the stems require a longer 

 time than the leaves for curing. The foliage drops off 

 readily and is lost when there is much delay in curing. 

 As the leaves are the most important part, this loss 

 becomes serious. The vines of cowpea and velvet bean 

 are so succulent that special methods of curing are fre- 

 quently adopted. It is a common practice in the South 

 to cure the vines on upright racks or poles so as to 

 allow a circulation of air. A single pole with the vines 

 arranged around it, makes a tall, slender bunch or cock 

 that gives much lateral surface in proportion to the area 

 of the top. 



70. Stacks. — Hay that is stacked in the open deterio- 

 rates on the exposed portion and there is a considerable 

 percentage of loss from the weathering of the outer por- 

 tion of the stack. Careful building of the stack and a 

 covering of reeds or canvas reduces the loss. Hay stored 

 in barns suffers practically no loss, and in sheds only in 

 proportion to the exposed surface. On the large ranches 

 of the West it is impracticable to store in barns the large 



